Hi. Really sorry about the long wait. I was very busy and had a lack of inspiration. I hope this doesn't become a habit…anyway, here's the next chapter. Sorry if I'm a bit rusty. This was originally going to a part of a longer chapter, but I felt it took away from the main story. Besides, on its own, it'll probably end up longer. This chapter takes place three days after the last, and starts with a daydream. Also, a warning that a rather adult subject comes up in this chapter that I'm willing to change the rating for if need be. I would not advise any young readers to read this chapter(or any chapter of this story, really) You Soga fans might like this one. ;). Please forgive typos, review, and enjoy!
Enmity Forged in Flame
"This is so cool!" the wild dog cub snickered beneath his breath, looking around at spires of flame as they rose out from all corners of the cave, revealing hundreds of paintings on the walls with their glow.
He had heard many stories of this passageway, better known by its proper title of "The Hall of the Mountain King". It was well deserving of its name, as it was the only route to the chamber of the Jasisi Sheikh. After fifteen minutes of navigating his way though long corridor, the cub guessed that the Jasisi Sheikh must not have received many visitors on a daily basis. He was right to assume so.
Most creatures would have wet themselves in fear at the sight of such an entranceway. The stench of ashes and blood filled the air the moment someone was bold enough to step foot inside, slowly displacing the oxygen in their lungs. As they would continue onward, whatever courage they had left would usually be squashed by the sight of the flaming geysers, which spread throughout the passageway like a community of miniature volcanoes, just waiting for a stranger to wander into their land so that they may welcome them with their fiery embrace. Finding a safe way to travel between them required complete concentration, which was hard to accomplish with so many strange illustrations of war jumping out from the walls. Rather than the traditional juices of fruit, each painting within the Hall of the Mountain King was made out of blood, a personal touch of Jasisi Sheikhs past and present.
The cub smiled, appreciating the beauty of it all. He had waited for years to see the inside of the Hall of the Mountain King, and the experience was turning out better than he expected. He knew he'd love it from the moment his mother had told him about it. Although, while she was doing so, it was meant as a warning for him to never venture inside. The cub even remembered his mother forbidding him from stepping anywhere near the Royal Chamber until he was sixteen. He was still eight years shy of that date, but could not restrain his curiosity any longer. He simply needed to see it for himself, if only for a moment. That moment ended up being hours, during which the cub zigzagged between the burning geysers, stopping each time he found a safe spot to admire the variety of blood-paintings. Creatures of every shape and sizes were represented in the paintings. The cub recognized some of them, such as the wild dogs and other animals he had seen around the Bloody Shadows. Others however, were not as easy to decipher. Still, that made them no less fascinating than those that the cub could make out. If anything, the cub found the mystery paintings to be even more fascinating. Especially the one with a strange wing-creature shooting flames from its mouth as it stood perched atop a mountain. It was unlike anything the cub had ever seen. Terrifying, yet captivating.
He continued onward, knowing that he needed to make the best of what time he had left within the Hall of the Mountain King. It was only a matter a time before his mother would return home from running her errands to find that he hadn't stayed in the den like he promised he would. His mother was not a cruel or quick-tempered creature, nor did she ever physically abuse him or his siblings. Still, he was having too much fun to let his day end in something as unpleasant as a punishment.
And, even if he would not admit it, he dreaded his causing his mother any grief. After all she had done for him, no punishment could ever compete with the feeling that he had disappointed his mother.
The cub came to a sudden stop as the line of paintings ended, along with the narrow passageway. The cub now found himself at the entrance to a larger cave, this one pitch-black due to the lack of flaming geysers to light it. The cub cocked his head and took a few steps forward, surprised at the sudden changed in scenery. He wondered if he had taken a wrong turn somewhere, which lead to him wondering whether or not the Hall of the Mountain King had any wrong turns. The cub sat down and looked all around him, before placing a paw to his chin in thought.
"What is this place?" the cub whispered to himself, a bit nervously, "It's so dark….I wonder why….I….I need to get out of here, before I get lost…Um….I'll just go back the way I came…Yeah."
The cub gave a quick nod and turned around to exit the dark cave.
"Leaving so soon?" came a voice from the other side of the cave, causing the cub to leap several feet in the air in surprise.
As his heartbeat slowed down to normal pace, the cub cautiously turned around to scan for the source of the voice, but due to the darkness, he found himself unable to see anything past his nose. A snicker echoed through the cave before the voice started up again.
"Come now," the voice continued, sounding amused, "You must have been very determined in your exploration, to have made it this far. Why turn back now?"
The cub froze with fear, his eyes darting back and forth in the hopes of locking on to the location of the stranger. He wanted desperately to run, but his shaking legs would not allow him to.
"H….h…h…..Who are you?" the cub demanded, "Whh….What do you want?...Why are you here?"
Suddenly, a pair of glowing red orbs appeared at the back of the den and rose a few a few feet. Within seconds, the cub realized he was looking into the eyes of the creature who had addressed him.
"Why am I here?" the creature asked, his red eyes narrowing, "The better question is; why are you here? This is no place for young cubs. Far too dangerous. How a little shaver like you make it all the way to the Royal Chamber without a mark on you is beyond me."
The cub blinked a few times, before straightening himself and looking around the dark cave.
"Royal Chamber?" the cub asked in confusion as he stared up at the red eyes, "This place is the Royal Chamber?"
The eyes slowly moved up and down, indicating that the creature was nodding. The cub looked around once more.
"But it's so….so…" the cub began, trying to find the right word.
"Dark?" the creature guessed with a smile, "Dismal? Disheartening?"
"Boring," the cub finally stated.
There was a long pause, followed by the creature's dark laugh. The cub crouched low to the ground until the laughter ceased.
"Boring?" the creature asked, again sounding amused, "Yes, I suppose any place would seem boring if it were preceded by flaming geysers and paintings made of animal's blood! The whole thing leaves you to suspect that the Royal Chamber must resemble a wondrous temple of excitement and intrigue, doesn't it?"
The cub stared up at the creature and gave a small nod. The creature's red eyes narrowed.
"Well, it does," the creature stated, his toothy smile shining through the darkness, "At least, when the lights are on."
The cub cocked his head in confusion, before jumping back in surprise as a bright spark appeared in front of the creature. The spark soon expanded into a flame, which illuminated the area around the mysterious creature, revealing him to be a large wild dog with a scarlet skull adorning his head. The cub let out a gasp of shock, suddenly realizing who he had been talking too.
"You….you….you….You're the Jasisi Sheikh!" the cub exclaimed, quickly lowering himself into a bow and keeping his eyes to the ground as his mother had told him too if ever he should find himself in the presence of the ruler of the Bloody Shadows
"Indeed I am," the wild dog nodded with a smile, his eyes fixated on the fire he had created, "You're surprised? Is it really all that shocking to find the king within his own throne room? I see no reason for one to go through all the trouble of walking through my hall without expecting to find me at the end. Which raises the question of why you are here, in the first place. What were you expecting to find, if it was not me?"
The small cub gave no reply and stayed perfectly still. The Jasisi Sheikh smiled slightly as he waved his paw over the flame, causing it to flicker.
"You know, it's okay to stop bowing and speak, now," the Jasisi Sheikh explained, "I've asked you a question, after all."
The cub lifted his head a few centimeters, keeping his eyes to the floor beneath him.
"Tha….Thank you, my lord," the cub said quietly, praying that he had managed to keep his tone formal, "Please forgive me….I…I just thought you had left the Bloody Shadows to meet with the king of Mamlaka weeks ago...and…"
"And you decided that my absence would be the perfect opportunity for you to skulk about my home," the Jasisi Sheikh concluded, tearing his gave from the fire before him and turning to the small cub, "I believe that's known as trespassing, and is in fact against the law. My law."
The cub once again lowered himself to the ground and closed his eyes, trying to make himself appear small. The Jasisi Sheikh stared down at the cub's quaking form, before shaking his head with a heavy sigh.
"Relax, kid," the Jasisi Sheikh said as softly as he could, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."
The cub slowly opened one eye and looked up at the ruler of the Bloody Shadows, before thinking better of it and turning his gaze to the ground.
"You….You're not?" the cub asked in confusion.
"Certainly not," the Jasisi Sheikh shook his head, "No fair ruler would ever punish his subjects without first giving them the chance to explain themselves. And besides, your coming here did not seem to do any harm…However, I doubt your parents will be pleased, when they find out you came here without their permission."
The cub's eyes darted to the side as he thought for a moment.
"Um….I got my mother's permission," the cub stated nervously, hoping his lie would help the situation.
The Jasisi Sheikh simply smiled.
"Oh really?" the wild dog king asked dryly, "Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind me sending a messenger to inform her that you arrived here safely."
The cub froze in place, before lowering his head in defeat.
"Please don't tell my mom," the cub begged quietly.
The Jasisi Sheikh let out a small laugh.
"Very well," the Jasisi Sheikh nodded, "I suppose there's no reason to cause her unnecessary worry, nor to cause you unnecessary rear-pains. Although, I highly doubt Raufu would ever raise a paw to one of her cubs. She's too gentle for that. Worst you'd get is a talking-to and a week, two at the most, of being confined to your den."
The cub, nodded slowly, before shaking his head in surprise.
"Wait, you know who my mom is?" the cub asked the king in surprise.
"Of course," the Jasisi Sheikh answered with a smile, "Any good ruler must take it upon himself to be familiar with each one of his subjects. And you're the spitting image of Raufu. I know her well. She was married to my younger brother, after all. Right up to the point of his de…"
The Jasisi Sheikh stopped, noticing that the cub had lowered its ears and put on a sorrowful expression as a few drops of water slid down its cheek.
"….My apologies," the Jasisi Sheikh stated regrettably, "I should not have brought that up. But I promise, your father is in a better place, now."
The cub swiftly wiped the tears from his eye and glared at a corner of the ground.
"He wasn't my father," the cub growled quietly, "He just acted like it."
The Jasisi Sheikh blinked in surprised and stared at the flames in front of him for a few seconds, before deciding to change the subject.
"So…." The Jasisi Sheikh began, putting on formal expression, "Would I be correct in assuming you're Soga?"
The cub swiftly lifted his head and nodded, before remember to keep his eyes averted.
"I've heard much about you," the Jasisi Sheikh stated with a smile, "You've become quite the little troublemaker in my kingdom. Sending the herbivores into a panic, messing around with the shamans' herbs, placing dung in the mud-piles….My brother Gero tells me that you even set his tail on fire."
Soga nodded slowly and rubbed his rear.
"Yeah, and he spanked me for it!" Soga stated in a tone of displeasure.
"Is that so?" The Jasisi Sheikh smiled, clicking his tongue, "Well, that's unfortunate. Though I'd wager having the pleasure of watching him run in circles trying to put it out was worth the pain."
"Yeah!" Soga answered excitedly, "It was really funny!...He didn't have to get so mad, though. It was just a joke."
"Yes, well, my brother never had much of a taste for those," the Jasisi Sheikh stated, waving his paw over the flame, "Nor did he ever appreciate being set on fire. Come to think of it, I've never met a creature who did. Most I've come across have had a fearful disposition towards fire. And with good cause, too. Fire is dangerous and unpredictable, as well as unfavorably unbiased with its touch. Fire will destroy all things it comes into contact with, regardless of whether or not they deserved it. That is my chamber is back here. The flaming geysers of my hall discourage unexpected visitors."
The large wild dog turned his gaze back to Soga before continuing.
"Though apparently," the Jasisi Sheikh stated, keeping his smile as he narrowed his eyes, "Not well enough."
Soga gave guilty smile and rubbed the back of his neck. The Jasisi Sheikh allowed himself a small laugh as he waved his paw over the flame once more.
"You still have not explained your reasons for coming here," the Jasisi Sheikh stated, "Let's see….what would a cub like yourself want from place like this? I hope you weren't planning on vandalizing my throne room."
"What? No!" Soga said defensively, "I just…just…y'know…wanted to see it for myself."
"See what?" the Jasisi Sheikh asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The Royal Chamber," Soga answered, "I've heard so many stories about it. The geysers of flame, the paintings on the wall. It just sounded so…cool."
The Jasisi Sheikh smiled slightly, holding his paw inches above the flickering flame.
"That which is forbidden often does," the Jasisi Sheikh stated quietly, "However, you must understand that there are reasons for keeping places such as this restricted. The Hall of the Mountain King is a very deadly passageway. I'm surprised simply seeing the flames did not discourage you from following it to the end."
"I wanted to see all of it," Soga explained with a smile, absentmindedly wagging his tail, "Besides, fire doesn't scare me. I love it!"
The Jasisi Sheikh blinked in surprise, before narrowing his eyes.
"Love it?" the Jasisi Sheikh asked, wearing a dreamful smile as he waved his paw over the flame, "Well, seems we have more in common than I suspected. But I wonder; Would your feelings for it remain if ever you were the one unfortunate enough to feel its touch?"
Soga's tail stopped wagging and fell behind him as his smile faded.
"I…I don't know," Soga shrugged, "I mean, probably. You said it yourself. Fire's unbi…unbi…it burns everything. If it burned me, I couldn't really be mad at it. It's just what fire does. Really, if I was dumb enough to not be careful around it, I should get burned."
The Jasisi Sheikh blinked, swiftly pulling his paw away from the flame as it rose, before returning it to its position as the flame sank back to its normal height.
"A point well argued," the Jasisi Sheikh stated in an impressed tone, "You put that quite eloquently, for one of your age. You're certainly a bright young cub. I'd expect nothing less from a cub of the Bloody Shadows family."
Soga smiled proudly and brushed the ground with his tail. The Jasisi Sheikh removed his paw from above the flame and lied down behind it, resting his head on his paws.
"So," the Jasisi Sheikh smiled from behind the fire he'd created, "If fire's your fancy, I trust my home lived up to your expectations?"
"Yeah!" Soga answered excitedly, "I've never seen so much fire in one place! Those paintings are really cool, too! Especially the one that of the creature that was shooting fire from its mouth!"
The Jasisi Sheikh chuckled quietly to himself.
"The dragon," the large wild dog nodded, "I've always had a particular interest in that one, myself."
"Dragon?" Soga asked, cocking his head, "Is that what it's called?"
"Yes," the Jasisi Sheikh replied, tapping his paw near the base of the flame, "Legendary creatures that were said to resemble giant winged-lizards with the ability to breath fire."
"That's so awesome!" Soga exclaimed, his tail pounding on the ground, "Have you ever seen any?"
The Jasisi Sheikh shook his head slowly.
"No one has," the wild dog explained, "At least, not in the last few centuries. Many doubt that dragons ever existed, simply because there's no evidence of them other than paintings and stories. However, I see no harm in keeping the mind open to the possibility that they could have very well walked the earth at some point. After all, if you can't believe in dragons, what justifies a belief in the all-powerful gods? Well, I believe in both to have at least have existed at some point. And even if my beliefs are proven false, they're still the subject of some great stories. Many of which are illustrated on the walls of my hall."
"Really?" Soga asked, his tone booming with interest, "Is that what the paintings are for? To tell stories?"
"And honor gods and heroes," the Jasisi Sheikh answered with a nod, before smiling down at the cub, "I could explain some of them, if you like."
"Yeah!" Soga yipped excitedly, before remembering who he was talking to and bowing, "I mean, I'd like that very much, my lord."
The Jasisi Sheikh smiled widely and extinguished the flame before him by swatting dirt over it. Soga watched a pair of glowing red eyes make a swift decent, before growing larger until they were above him. The small cub felt a paw on his shoulder as the glowing eyes lowered themselves to his own.
"That's 'Uncle Subiani' to you!" he heard his uncle chuckle as one of the red eyes disappeared for a brief moment, "You're royalty, Soga. Don't you ever forget that."
Soga paused for a moment, before nodding with a smile and following the Jasisi Sheikh into the Hall of the Mountain King. Once they arrived at a large section of paintings in the middle of the hall, Subiani sat Soga down and stood over him, ensuring that should one of the geysers overflow, the young cub would not be harmed. The Jasisi Sheikh spent about an hour explaining to the cub some of the legends conveyed by the bloody paintings. When the ruler of the Bloody Shadows finished the story of the first Great War, a thought popped into Soga's head, causing his eyes to dart around nervously.
"What's wrong?" Subiani asked, noticing the cubs current state, "You didn't like that story?"
"No, it's not that," Soga answered, shaking his head as he looked up at the Jasisi Sheikh, "It's just that my mom'll probably be home soon, and if I'm not there….."
Subiani smiled slightly and nodded.
"Ah, I understand," the Jasisi Sheikh stated, standing up, "Well then, you should be heading home. Can't have a kind creature like your mother worrying. Come on, I'll walk you out of here."
Soga nodded obediently and followed the Jasisi Sheikh as he walked towards the exit of the Hall of the Mountain king. When they reached the point where the sun could be seen, the Jasisi Sheikh sat down and turned his red eyes to Soga.
"Can you find your way home from here?" Subiani asked the young cub.
Soga nodded and ran out of the cave, before turning back to his uncle.
"Thank you, Uncle Subiani," Soga bowed to the Jasisi Sheikh with a smile, "I had a lot of fun….Just hope Mom doesn't find out a came here…."
"Eh, don't worry about your mother," Subiani smiled, waving his paw dismissively, "She won't find out. And even if she does, I'll just tell her I invited you, or something. I'm not about to let my own nephew get in trouble! Now, go on home, before someone sees you."
The young cub nodded thankfully and raced off, leaving the Jasisi Sheikh and the Hall of the Mountain King behind him.
xXx
Soga blinked a few times, before shaking the memory from his head and turning his attention back to the pile of sticks that he had gathered.
"I'll have your skin, soon enough, you bastard," Soga growled to himself, grabbing two sticks between his digits and vigorously rubbing them together, "Just you wait, Subiani. As soon as my training is complete, I'll be coming for what is rightfully mine. And this time, I won't fail….Enjoy your life while you can. Enjoy your dignity. Enjoy your kingdom. You won't have any of them for much longer."
A spark shot from the two sticks in Soga's paw and fell to the pile below, slowly forming a fire. Soga gave a sigh of satisfaction and dropped his kindling in the fire, making it grow a bit bigger. He remembered a time when he would not have risked lighting a fire in anywhere near grass. Even now he had to take great care in starting one, and make sure that it could not touch anything that would cause it to spread. Luckily, he found a large patch of gravel not too far from his brother's pack. It was the perfect place to build a fire.
The wild dog smiled down at the fire he had created and held his paw over it, swiftly pulling it back each time the flame rose.
"Well now," Soga addressed the flame with a laugh, "Years of our little game have made you predictable. I recall the days when you actually provided me with a challenge. Now, I don't even need to watch you to know when you'll rise!"
Soga smiled confidently, closing his eyes and waiting for a few seconds before pulling his paw away from the flame. He opened his eyes just in time to see the flame fall back to its normal height.
"See?" Soga laughed proudly, placing his paw just above the fire once more, "You didn't believe me, did you? Well, I'm sure now you'll think twice before underestimating m….ow!"
Soga pulled his paw away from the flame and examined it, finding a small pinkish mark on the pad of his largest digit. The flame fell to its usual height, waving from side to side as if it were laughing. Soga smiled.
"That's what I get," Soga sighed, licking his burned digit before turning his eyes to the dancing flame, "Well played, old friend!"
The wild dog placed his paw on the ground and raised the other one over the flame.
"Now," Soga smirked, "Let's see you try that again!"
"Soga!" came a voice from a few yards away, sounding very displeased.
Soga placed his paw at side and groaned, recognizing the voice.
"It's always something…" Soga muttered to himself in annoyance, before smothering the flame with gravel.
Soga turned toward the direction of the voice to see Potevu walking towards him with an expression that matched his tone.
"Potevu," Soga nodded, putting on a casual smile to mask his irritation, "What can I do for you on this beautiful morning?"
"You can tell me who the hell you think you are!" Potevu snarled, continuing towards Soga with bared fangs.
Soga paused for a moment, before sitting down and placing a paw to his chin.
"Hmm….Let's see," Soga said with an amused smile, "I'm going to go with 'Soga Bloody Shadow', for this one. And I believe I'm correct in guessing so…..Yes, I'm quite confident that I'm Soga Bloody Shadow."
"Shut your mouth!" Potevu barked, coming to a complete stop and digging his claws into the earth once he was a few feet away from his brother, "I heard about the female you raped last night!"
Soga blinked in surprise, before smiling slightly and rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh, you heard that, did you?" Soga asked his brother, with a chuckle, "Terribly sorry. I told to keep her quiet, but she just wouldn't stop moaning. I would have kept my paws around her muzzle to silence her, but I doubt that would've worked out. No dewclaws, you know. And even if I was able to bind her mouth, you'd still probably be able to hear her. Geez, did that bitch moan! Sounded more like a wildebeest than a wildehound!"
Potevu leaped forward and clubbed his brother in the face with the back of his paw, causing Soga to fall backward. Soga slowly got to his feet and looked at his brother in confusion, finding Potevu's expression to have changed from one that displayed displeasure to one that displayed burning hatred.
"YOU….YOU….YOU DESPICABLE PIECE OF SHIT!" Potevu howled with rage, "YOU RAPED MY MATE! YOU RAPED TULI! MY TULI!...YOU'RE DEAD, SOGA! DEAD!"
Soga's eyes widened in shock as Potevu leapt at him again. This time, Soga managed to roll out of the way.
"Potevu, I didn't…" Soga began to explain, only to stop in order to dodge another blow from his brother.
"Save it," Potevu snarled lowly, "There's no way I'm letting you weasel your way out of this one, not after what you did to Tuli!"
Soga ducked a few more of Potevu's blows, before blocking one of them and pushing Potevu backward, causing Potevu to fall on his back. Potevu attempted to get to his feet, but was thwarted by Soga, who quickly leaped on his brother, pinning his back to the ground.
"Potevu, would you please give me a chance to explain myself?" Soga asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
Potevu replied by spitting in his brother's face. Soga shook the lugie from his cheek and glared down at his brother, before closing his eyes and letting out a heavy sigh.
"Potevu," Soga breathed, trying to keep his tone calm, "I'm going to let you up, now. What you chose to do once I've done so is completely up to you. However, I must ask that you hear me out, first. If not for me, then for Mom. I doubt she'd want her children killing each other over a…..misunderstanding. So, we have a deal, or are we going to have to spend all day like this?"
Potevu bared his fangs at his brother and growled, nodding slowly. Soga backed away, allowing Potevu to get to his feet.
"You better have a damn good excuse for this, Soga," Potevu snarled, his body shaking with anger.
Soga nodded and took a deep breath, before speaking.
"Potevu," Soga breathed seriously, "I may be a 'despicable piece of shit', but I'm not without my own set of morals. And by raping your mate last night, I completely went against them, and committed a foul act that betrayed our brotherhood. But try to understand that it was not my intention to do so. Please believe me, Potevu. I did not know she was your mate. I didn't even know you had a mate. How could I have? I mean, I've been here for three days and didn't see you with any females at your side. Why were we never introduced?"
"Not that it's any of your business," Potevu stated through his grinding teeth, "But she was visiting her mother, and returned home just last night….and by the disgusting manner in which you treated her, it's clear that knowing she was my mate would not have deterred you!"
Soga let out a heavy sigh.
"It would have," Soga answered, "Really, Potevu, if I had known she was your mate, I would never have considered doing what I did…And what do you mean, the disgusting way I treated her?"
"You raped her!" Potevu barked, his claws digging into the ground.
"I'd barely consider it that," Soga replied, taking a deep breath and lowering his head in thought of how to word his next sentence, "Potevu, I'm not sure how to put this….your mate didn't refuse me."
Potevu's eyes widened, before narrowing into a glare.
"Come again?" Potevu asked, staring at Soga with a smile that said 'Oh, I can't wait to kill you'.
Soga cleared his throat and scratched his neck, before speaking again.
"That is to say….." Soga began awkwardly, "She didn't exactly show any signs that she didn't want me to have my way with her. I even asked her if she wanted sex, and she just gave me a confused look. I assumed she was just surprised that I'd ask, first. Most of our citizens don't, after all….and, well….she didn't tell me to stop….And by her thrashing and moaning, I assumed she enjoyed it."
The sound of Potevu's fangs gnashing together grew louder, causing his own ears to twitch from the cacophony.
"Soga," Potevu growled lowly, "Tuli is deaf."
Soga's eyes widened as he came to the sudden realization that the noises Tuli had made the night before were not moans of pleasure.
"Oh….oh….ohhh, gods, the universe is intent on screwing me over on this one," Soga breathed quietly, before turning his attention back to Potevu's rage-twisted face, "I'm very sorry this happened, Potevu. It was a mistake on my part, and I intend to rectify the situation, if you'll just give me….."
"'Rectify the situation?'" Potevu asked with a growl, "Soga, you raped my mate! You tore away her virginity! How in the name of the gods could you ever rectify that?"
Soga placed a paw to his chin in thought, remaining that way for well over a minute.
"Look Potevu, I understand your anger," Soga told his brother, "Really, I do. But even you're not above rape, and I doubt you would have spared this situation a second glance had I raped any old female from your clan."
"But you didn't rape just any old female!" Potevu snarled, "You raped my mate!"
"I know that!" Soga yelled back, beginning to get a bit annoyed, "But I didn't know she was your mate when I did it! Honestly, this is all just a bunch misunderstandings that lead to an unfortunate event," Soga stared at his brother's disgusted expression, before correcting himself, "Um…A veryunfortunate event."
"You bastard," Potevu growled, "I bet you wouldn't be so nonchalant about this if I raped your mate. In fact, I think I would, if not for the fact that such an act would make me guilty of incest!"
Soga stared at Potevu for a moment, before narrowing his eyes.
"Aina is not my mate," Soga stated slowly, keeping his composure while still allowing a growl to join his words.
"Oh, forgive me," Potevu stated sarcastically, "And all this time I was under the impression that creatures who will one day be married were classified as 'mates'."
"My betrothal to Aina is only tempory," Soga reminded his brother with a snort, "Soon I'll be free of it, and able to find a suitable female to serve as my wife."
Potevu kept his eyes locked on Soga, before smirking.
"You really think Lord Subiani would let you court other females?" Potevu asked his brother, releasing an amused snicker, "It's a miracle he even lets you have sex with them. Nothing can come of it, after all!"
Soga's eyes widened at his brother's statement, before returning to normal.
"Potevu," Soga breathed, loudly enough for the anger in his tone to be heard, "Don't even think about it."
"And you finding a wife on your own," Potevu continued, his laughter growing, "Now that's rich! What female would take you? There's not a single redeeming quality about you. You're a spoiled, egocentric freak who doesn't deserve the name Bloody Shadow!...No…On second thought, I take it back. There is one good thing about you. You'll never be able to breed!"
Soga stood up straight and stretched his limbs, before looking over at Potevu.
"Potevu," Soga addressed his brother with a false smile, "Don't push your luck. I've been patient with you thus far, but I have no intention of keeping it up. This is your last warning. Please do not give me a reason to kill you."
Potevu allowed himself a smirk as he stared into his brother's eyes.
"Oh, have I struck a nerve?" Potevu asked his brother, cocking his head in mock-confusion as he laughed, "What's the matter? You don't like it when I bring up the fact that you're a sterile freak?"
Potevu's laugh ended right then and there as Soga leaped on top of him and sank his fangs into his brother's right shoulder. Potevu let out a painful howl as Soga tugged at a section of the skin until it had broken apart from the rest of the shoulder. Slowly, Potevu struggled to his feet and clutched his injured shoulder, his paw soon becoming soaked with blood. When he brought his gaze to his brother, he was met with a paw to his face, causing Potevu to utter another cry of pain as he fell to the ground. He looked upward to find Soga standing over him, the piece of flesh dangling from his mouth.
"You…ulgh….you bastard," Potevu managed to say through his pain.
Soga responded by spitting the flesh in his brother's face. Potevu managed to remove his paw from his shoulder long enough to swat the skin away from his eye.
"You're lucky we're family," Soga growled down at his brother, "Otherwise, you wouldn't have gotten off so easy!"
Potevu glared up at his brother, before passing out from the pain. Soga rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed sigh.
"Figures," Soga muttered beneath his breath, "…..Well, I suppose I can't just let him bleed to death...no matter how much I'd like to."
Soga bent himself over to lift Potevu onto his back, before hearing a voice from a short distance away.
"Potevu!" the voice called, "We heard your howl. Is everything al….Oh my gods….."
Soga looked up to see four wild dogs standing a few feet away, staring down at their unconscious leader. A few seconds later, they brought their fearful gazes to Soga.
"What happened?" one of them asked, "Who did this to him?"
Soga sat down and began grooming his paw.
"Beats me," Soga shrugged, "But the important thing right now is to bring him back to the rest of your pack so a doctor can have a look at him."
The wild dogs nodded to each other, lifted their injured leader onto their backs, and began to walk towards the resting ground of their pack, before turning back to Soga.
"What about you?" asked the one supporting Potevu's left side, "Aren't you coming?"
Soga shook his head.
"Nah, I've stayed here too long as it is," Soga stated, scratching his neck with his hind leg, "I'd best leave before I become a burden. Besides, I've got work to do. Be sure to tell my brother that I've left to pursue Edaha. Once he wakes up, that is…..and if you happen to see his mate, tell her I'm very, very sorry for troubling her. I think she'll know what I'm talking about."
The three wild dogs stared at Soga strangely, before nodding and continuing towards their resting ground. When they had vanished from sight, Soga smiled bitterly to himself and walked away, waving his tail back and forth as he did so.
"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting my time here to end like that," Soga breathed quietly, slowly coming to a stop before smiling with a shrug, "Still, I'd say it went fairly well, given the circumstances….But I get the feeling family reunions are going to be a bit more awkward, from now on…Hmm….So this makes about fifteen relatives who have a reason to hate me…..I'll try to keep a low profile, maybe just stay by the carcasses well everyone else make small-talk…..Or just get them all in one place and have a mini-recreation of the destruction of Mamlaka. If nothing else, it'd be entertaining."
Soga chuckled quietly to himself and continued onward, whistling as he travelled. Hidden by the clouds, a large swarm of bats followed the wild dog, just as they had always done. He was their master, after all. There was no way that they would make themselves anything but available for his use. Soga appreciated their loyalty. It gave him an idea of what life as Jasisi Sheikh would be like. He dreamed of the day that he'd be strong enough to challenge Subiani for his throne, and all would come to know him as king. But for now, he was merely king to his bats. And as far as Soga was concerned, they were the best subjects he could have ever asked for.
xXx
Night had fallen, providing Soga with a reasonable excuse to start a fire. Not that he needed a reasonable excuse, of course. He usually just made one out of boredom.
However, crafting a fire on this night prove to be significantly less enjoyable than what Soga was used to. The only sticks he could find for kindling were old and damp, restricting the wild dog from creating a spark as fast as he would have liked to. And even when sparks did appear, they were extinguished by the breeze before they had a chance to fall to the pile of sticks below. It did not help that the only safe place to start a fire in his grassy surrounding was atop a pile of dirt, which never allowed flames enough clean air to grow. Soga's patience was begging to wear thin, until a large spark shot from tips of his kindling and landed on the stick-pile, giving birth to a small flame. Soga smiled and let out a heavy sigh, wiping his brow as he stared down at the tiny fire, which flickered before him.
"Well, then," Soga stated in satisfaction, "Not the handsomest flame I've laid eyes upon, but it's still deserving of a chance to prove itself."
Just then, a cold wind blew, extinguishing Soga's fire. The wild dog blinked a few times, before groaning in frustration and dropping himself flat on the ground.
"Useless twigs," Soga grumbled, glaring at the pile of charred sticks that had previously hosted his fire, "Not dry enough to cause a proper spark, and too thin to support one. This would be a lot easier if there were some stronger sticks around here….Or some of my powder…But I won't find any of that, in a place like this."
Soga let out a heavy sigh and lowered his head to the ground, only for his chin to be met with a protruding object. The wild dog quickly raised his head and turned his attention to the space between his paws, finding a small stone sticking out of the ground. Soga cocked his head and picked up the stone in his paw, examining it careful. It was a grey stone, not unlike the kinds he had come across millions of times before. Soga was about to throw it away, before noticing that the bottom of it was flat. His gaze soon shifted from the stone to the pile of sticks, then back again.
"Hm…" Soga said thoughtfully, "Maybe…."
Soga held the flat side of the stone above his firewood and scratched at it repeatedly with his claws. Within moments, a group of sparks sprang from the stone and fell to the pile of sticks, igniting it upon contact. Soga smiled and held stone in front of his face, examining it with great intrigue.
"Interesting little stone," Soga noted, "I wonder if it is of the same genus as brimstone…And while we're on that subject, do stones even have genera? Doesn't matter, I suppose. Whatever kind of rock this is, it got the job done."
Soga placed the gray stone at his side and turned his attention to the bright flame that sat upon a mound a sticks and dirt. Another cold wind blew, but the fire merely waved through it, remaining intact.
"Much better," Soga nodded with a yawn, getting up to stretch his limbs, before falling on his back with a smile of contentment.
Soga narrowed his eyes as he stared at the stars above him, reaching a paw upward to trace an invisible line to connect a few of the constellations. When he had finished, he brought his paw back to his side with a heavy sigh.
"Doesn't seem to be anything new up there," Soga breathed to himself, quickly allowing himself a laugh at his own statement, "Although, I don't imagine I'd notice any new additions. Stars have a habit of blending together."
Soga spent a few more minutes gazing at the stars, before letting out a loud yawn and smacking his lips together, his eyelids suddenly feeling heavy.
"Hmm…I suppose I should get some sleep," Soga nodded to himself, "I've missed a few nights, after all."
Soga let out another yawn and turned toward the fire he had created. As expected, it was still very much alive, but not violent in its movements. The wild dog smiled and lifted himself up to sit in front of the flame.
"Well, I'd love to let you stay the night," Soga told the fire, "But I can't have someone as dangerous as you around while I'm sleeping. No telling what kind of trouble you'd cause if I left you unsupervised. So, I bid you adieu."
Soga picked up a pawful of dirt and was about to throw it on the fire, before hearing from behind him call his name.
"Lord Soga!" the voiced exclaimed, "Thank the gods I've found you!"
Soga dropped the dirt at his side and turned around to see a young yellow-winged bat flying towards him in a panic. Instantly, the wild dog recognized the bat to be one of his informants. And after hearing the urgent tone of its voice, Soga drooped his ears. The wild dog had a bad feeling that he was about to receive a very unfavorable report.
"Dege," Soga addressed the bat as it landed in front of him and bowed, "What news do you bring?"
Dege's entire form began to quake as he lifted his eyes to meet his master's.
"I'm afraid it's not pleasant…" Dege began nervously, "No, no….not pleasant in the least…its about those assassins you stationed to ambush those Mamlaka troops in the Gray Lands….They fought their hardest, they really did….But they couldn't how out for long. The enemy was far too powerful…They never…never stood a chance!"
Soga's eyes widened with shock as Dege buried his face in his wings and rocked back and forth.
"They….They failed?" Soga asked in complete disbelief, "But….that's impossible! The army I chose for the job was known for its using the element of surpise to their advantage. And even if they failed in doing that, there's no excuse for their failure! They had those missionaries outnumbered three to one, at least! Even if our side suffered more casualties, the enemy should have been wiped out!...How the hell did this happen? I want a full explanation!"
Dege continued to cower behind his wings, shaking even more than before.
"NOW, DEGE!" Soga demanded.
The yellow-winged bat jumped back in surprise and held his heaving chest for a few moments, before speaking.
"It….it was horrible, my Lord," Dege breathed quietly, the mere memory of the event filling him with terror, "I…I mean, at first, things were all going according to plan. Our assassins managed to get the jump on them, and were mowing them down at an alarming rate…The whole battle ended with our side suffering no more than a few scratches, here or there. Nothing fatal…"
Soga stared down at his servant and raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"I thought you said our assassins had lost the battle," Soga stated though his teeth, clearly become irritated.
Dege shook his head.
"Oh no, my lord. They defeated the last of the Mamlakians, of that I assure you," Dege answered, before staring at the ground and biting his lip so hard that a small drop of blood fell to the grass, "But they lost something much more important than the war…..they lost their lives."
Soga blinked a few times, before glaring down at the yellow-winged bat.
"Again, you speak in contradictions!" Soga barked, digging his claws into the ground, "You said that no assassin suffered any fatal injuries, and now you're telling me they all died? Well, which on is it?"
Dege paused for a moment and took a deep breath, keeping his eyes averted from his master's and bowing apologetically.
"Please forgive me, my lord," Dege pleaded, "Just thinking of this whole situation vexes me. But I've simply been conveying the truth. Everything I've told you tonight, I've witnessed with my own eyes. I can explain."
"You'd better," Soga growled, pulling his claws out of the ground, "I'm beginning to lose my patience."
Dege gulped, knowing that when a creature made his master lost his patience, his master would make said creature lose their limbs.
"….After finally having defeated Mamlaka once and for all, the assassins decided to celebrate," Dege began, swallowing slowly before continuing, "….They weren't expecting to be ambushed, themselves."
Soga's eyes widened Dege's explanation suddenly made sense. However, it now raised many more questions than before.
"Ambushed?" Soga asked her servant, cocking his head in confusion, "By who? Allies of Mamlaka?"
"I'm…not quite sure," Dege admitted quietly.
Soga shook his head and paced back and forth, before sitting himself down in front of Dege.
"What manner of creatures were they?" Soga questioned his servant demandingly, "Who was leading them? How large of an army did he command? "
Dege looked downward, staring at his clawed feet as he answered his master's questions.
"….Hyena," Dege answered slowly, "The leader was a hyena…..as for his troops….well, you see….the thing is…."
"SPIT IT OUT!" Soga boomed, causing Dege to fall backward.
The yellow-winged bat gradually regained his footing and stared up at his master fearfully.
"He…he had none," Dege eventually managed to answer.
Soga froze for a moment, before shaking his head.
"Must have heard that incorrectly," Soga stated dismissively, "How many creatures did he have at his disposal?"
"…..None," Dege reiterated nervously, "He was alone."
Soga's eyes grew so wide that they seemed as if they were going to shoot out of his skull.
"You mean to tell me," Soga began, narrowing his eyes, "That sixteen of our highly-trained assassins were murdered by one hyena?"
"'Slaughtered''s more like it!" Dege respond, a shiver going down his spine, "The guy didn't even break a sweat! Just charged right in and tore right through them! By the time it was over…..he was standing over their corpses, covered in blood…none of which was his own…"
Soga stood completely still and blinked in surprise, before pacing back and forth with a snarling to himself, his eyes closed in meditation. A few seconds later, he came to a sudden stop and again addressed his informant.
"What'd he look like?" Soga demanded quietly, "Think, Dege. Did he have any distinguishing characteristics? Maybe a birthmark, or a scar? Anything at all."
Dege placed a talon to his chin in thought, as he spoke.
"Well, he was a spotted hyena," Dege explained up, "A large one, at that. His mane was thin and tidy, too. Oh, and he had a black stripe going up his chin. I could tell see that, even with that skull over his face. And he…"
"Hold it!" Soga stopped his servant, holding a paw in front of his mouth, "He had a skull over his face?"
Dege nodded slowly. Soga's eyes over.
"Yeah, I think it was the skull of another hyena," Dege continued, "I mean, it must have been, to have fit over his face with no trouble."
Muscles tensed, Soga bared his fangs and extended his claws, leaving marks in the ground as he did so.
"Kalab," Soga snarled quietly.
Dege stared up at his master and cocked his head.
"'Kalab?'" the yellow-winged bat asked in confusion, "Is that the name of this assailant?"
"I know of only a few creatures capable of this," Soga nodded, releasing a few angry breaths, "And your description is too matching to be a mere coincidence…it's him, no doubt about it…Damn it! I've got too many plans in motion to have to worry about him returning...How could this even have happened?...He wasn't supposed to return! He wasn't even supposed to survive!"
"My lord?" Dege asked with a raised eyebrow, indicating curiosity, "Do you know this 'Kalab'?"
Soga's breath slowed as he glanced at his servant, considering whether or not to give a truthful answer. After taking a deep breath, he spoke.
"Indeed I do," Soga said quietly, trying to keep a calm tone, "Well, I did...not personally, but it was hard not to know of him. He was the 'perfect assassin'. At least, he was trained to be….You remember my uncle Gero, of course."
"The crippled war veteran," Dege nodded, "Conquered Jent for the Bloody Shadows."
"Hardly," Soga snorted, scratching his neck, "He seized Jent for himself, if anything. Not that he left too much to be seized. He massacred the entire nation, leaving no survivors….except for one."
"The king?" Dege guessed.
Soga shook his head.
"It was no one of consequence," Soga continued, "Not at the time, anyway. Just a hyena cub who didn't even have a name. He had managed to avoid detection during the war by hiding in a cave. He wasn't discovered until a few days later, when a few of Gero's soldiers were scanning the land for resources. Uncertain of what to do with the cub, they brought him before Gero…."
Soga halted his explanation, his lip curling as he stared at the ground.
"…W..What did Gero do to him?" Dege piped up, a bit nervously.
Soga brought his eyes back to his informant, smiling slightly.
"After looking him over a few times," Soga explained, "Gero decided to give the cub a choice between a life of freedom, and a life of slavery. The cub chose slavery."
Dege twitched his ears in surprise.
"Wh…What?" Dege asked, scratching his head in confusion, "Why would he choose slavery over freedom?"
"Who knows?" Soga answered with a shrug, "But the cub's choice turned out to impress Gero so much that he made it his apprentice, right then and there. From that day forward, Gero educated the cub in the art of war, a subject he had quite the passion for…Learning was not made facile for the cub. My uncle was always known for running a laborious program for his troops, but since the cub would one day inherit his position, he made its training exceptionally grueling. An army is only as strong as the one who commands it, after all."
Soga closed his eyes and pointed his muzzle downward, before speaking again.
"He beat the cub." Soga breathed, his tone emotionless, "Poisoned it. Starved it. Insulted it. Basically tortured it in any way he could, all before forcing it to train well beyond the point of exhaustion. If the cub did not meet Gero's expectations, he was punished. If he did meet Gero's expectations, Gero would raise them the next day. The cub took to his training well, eventually reaching the point where he'd refuse what little food and water Gero had provided for him simply to push his limits even more. Within a mere month, it grew to embody everything Gero wanted in a soldier, and thus earning the cub its name; Fahari. However, Fahari needed to be more than the perfect soldier; he needed to be the perfect general. So, he continued his training under Gero…at least, until the Jasisi Sheikh learned what had been taking, and summoned them both to the homeland."
"Subiani was not pleased that Gero was training an apprentice?" Dege asked, cocking his head.
"Not at first," Soga shook his head, before smiling slightly, "I suppose his anger was justified. Someone in line for the throne deciding to take time out his day to a cub to be an unstoppable killer can come across as a bit suspicious, when you think about it," Soga's smile faded as he continued, "When they arrived in the Bloody Shadows, Subiani had them brought to his chamber for questioning, but did not allow Gero to speak. Every question he asked was directed at Fahari, as if the piece of information he wanted could only be known by the cub. He spent hours probing Fahari's mind, eventually realizing that the cub would grow up to be a heartless murderer with an unquenchable thirst for blood. It was clear what needed to be done; Fahari would need to stay in the Bloody Shadows, and continue his training."
Dege's ears shot upward as he stared at Soga in complete bewilderment.
"It was a good idea at the time," Soga shrugged, "Keeping Gero and Fahari within the Bloody Shadows would allow Subiani to keep them under constant surveillance, and isolate them from anyone outside the homeland. They would be completely surrounded servants of the Jasisi Sheikh, just in case Subiani's remaining suspicions of their intent were ever confirmed. Besides, Subiani was not about to pass up the opportunity of having the perfect soldier in his employ. It would have been a bad business move. And with the looming threat of war between the Bloody Shadows and Mamlaka, Subiani wanted someone who could one day lead his army to a swift and decisive victory. He saw such a potential in Fahari," Soga paused for a moment, before continuing, "At least, that's what I've heard. I wasn't even born, when all this occurred….But I came into this world in time to see the results." Fahari matured into a proficient mercenary, far more skilled than any other assassin in recorded history, soon living up to his name as the pride of the Bloody Shadows. Every job he was given, he completed with great enthusiasm….sometimes too much. Nobody would dare to get in his way, and they were smart not to. His expertise was undeniable, his ability unrivalled...It was only after Fahari himself realized it that all the trouble started."
Dege cocked his head in confusion.
"Realized what, my lord?" Dege queried.
"His own ability," Soga answered, "You see, once he discovered the extent of his power, he began to wonder why he was taking orders from anyone. One night, he entered the Jasisi Sheikh's chamber while Subiani was meeting with his generals and demanded that he be given the right to choose lead his own missions. As Subiani was considering Fahari's request, Gero spoke up, telling Subiani that Fahari was not yet a general, and thus not ready to make such choices. Outraged, Fahari challenged his master for his position. Gero, being the proud warlord he was, accepted the challenge." Soga smiled slightly as he looked down at his servant, "I'm sure you've wondered how Gero came to lose the use of his limbs."
Dege's eyes widened with surprise.
"I…I always assumed it happened during some war," Dege stated quietly, "You mean to say his own apprentice crippled him?"
"Fahari bit the paw that fed him," Soga nodded, "And for it, was thereafter known as General Kalab. I believe it was about that time that he started wearing the skull, but I never learned its significance, or who it came from, in the first place. But the skull quickly became a part of his identity, and he was never seen without it again."
Dege nodded slowly.
"I see," the bat muttered quietly, "If that is the case, then the assailant I saw may have very well been this 'Kalab'….But why would a general of the Bloody Shadows attack his own citizens?"
Soga took a heavy breath, before speaking,
"Kalab was obsessed with being the most powerful creature in the world," Soga explained, "He'd accept any excuse to challenge another. If they refused his challenge, he'd killed them for being, as he put it, 'Disgraceful cowards, not worthy of the right to live'. It was like training, for him. He was only interested in fighting the strongest opponents he could find, so that he could prove his superiority above all others. He even adopted the title of 'Lord and Master of Nature', seeing himself as the judge of whether or not someone should be allowed to live in this world...He did not differentiate between enemy and ally. If someone was in his way, he'd kill them…He quickly became too dangerous to be around, and many creatures became fearful within their own homes. Something needed to be done, for all our sakes." Soga lowered his head and curled his lip back a bit as he continued, "My mother, despite her pregnancy, volunteered to meet with Subiani, and request of him that Kalab be exiled. Everyone just stepped aside and let her…Cowards…they didn't care if she was pregnant, so long as they didn't have to face Subiani, themselves. I would have taken her place, but I was still a month too young to enter the Royal Chamber, and circumstances forced Subiani to place guards at the front to enforce such laws. The best I could do was accompany her, and ensure that she made the trip safetly…"
Soga paused his story and walked over to the fire he had created, circling around it a few times. He then sat down behind it, his eyes glowing as he stared into the flames.
"We brought our case to Subiani," Soga continued, a growl rising in his voice, "My mother pleaded with him to have Kalab removed, but Subiani would hear none of it. He told her that he appreciated her concern, but Kalab was of too much importance to the nation to be sent away...My mother demanded to know what made Kalab any more important than any other creature within the Bloody Shadows, and argued that if anything, Kalab should have been considered lesser for his disgusting cruelty towards his own kin….She even went as far as to question Subiani's rule, denouncing him for putting his own interest before his nation….Subiani was livid with her accusation…guess he didn't like hearing the truth…Jumped right off his throne and struck her. He was about to hit her again, until I got between them….I stared right into his scarlet eyes and asked him why he would allow his own subjects to be killed…The bastard just glared down at me and said, 'If they are foolish enough to not be careful around Kalab, they deserve to die. I'd expect you of all wild dogs to understand that.'…I was speechless…My mother lead me out of the chamber, and we returned to our den…We had gotten nowhere with Subiani…We could not make him realize just how dangerous Kalab had become….Subiani was soon punished for his blindness….Our whole family was…"
Soga turned away, pawing at the ground as a tear escaped his eye. Dege lowered his ears, surprised to see his master behave so strangely.
"…My lord?" Dege spoke up, clearing his throat a bit awkwardly.
Soga slowly brought his gaze to the yellow-winged bat.
"Kalab killed my mother," Soga breathed, his tone shaking.
Dege's eyes slowly widened. Soga turned to the flame again, before speaking.
"I don't know how, but he found out that she'd been aspiring for his exile," Soga explained quietly, "I…I had gone out hunting that night to give her privacy while she was giving birth to her new litter…I thought she'd be okay, since she had a shaman with her to oversee the delivery…When I returned home, Kalab was standing over my mother's lifeless body, dipping the hands of the dead shaman in her blood to cover his tracks….He killed them all. My mother, the shaman….even the newborn cubs…It didn't take long for him to notice that I'd entered the den...I don't know why, but he chose to let me live….He just walked right by me with a casual smile. Shock prevented me from reacting. I could only sit there staring at what was once my mother, knowing that she was gone forever…I was old enough to survive without her….but still…." Soga swallowed as cold air shot out of his nostrils, "It wasn't long before everyone learned of my mother's murder…Kalab's extra care paid off for him….Everyone believed that the shaman killed her, and then committed suicide…well, almost everyone….Subiani knew better…I was called into his chamber the next morning. He told me that he knew the shaman had not been the one responsible for my mother's death, and asked me who was….I told him the truth….looked him right in the eye and said, 'You are'."
Dege gave a look of complete bewilderment.
"You…you blamed Subiani?" Dege asked in disbelief.
"Still do," Soga nodded, curling his lip back as he stared down at the flame before him, "Kalab's nature was comparable to that of the flame. He destroyed anything it his path, regardless of who they were. It was how he was raised. It was just who he was….Subiani knew that, and did nothing. He could have ended the genocide of his subjects at any point, but chose not to. He selfishly allowed the suffering to continue, just so that he could have his 'perfect assassin'. Kalab was merely the flame that Subiani permitted to expand into an inferno…..I hate them both more than you could ever know…But I can at least understand that Kalab lived up to his expections. Subiani did not. A ruler is supposed to put the safety and prosperity of his kingdom above all else. But Subiani's only interest was strengthening the military of his already unparalleled nation…and because of it, I lost my mother, as well as my baby brothers and sisters….."
Dege nodded in concurrence. He may not have completely agreed with his master's logic, but his was not about to make his opinion vocal.
"I see…" Dege stated carefully, "But…what happened to Kalab? Did Subiani every find out the truth?"
"Yes," Soga answered, staring at the back of his paw, "After I informed Subiani of exactly how he was responsible for the homicide of a family member. Subiani was shocked, for whatever reason. Finally came to his senses, as if he had any, and decided that Kalab had become too unstable to keep around. He considered exile like my mother had suggested, but knew that Kalab would not go quietly. He considered the death-sentence, but knew that Kalab would notcomequietly. Subiani understood that any attempts made against Kalab would result in casualties, and he did not want any more lives wasted. So, he devised a plan to get rid of Kalab forever; he ordered Kalab to seek out and assassinate Kronos."
Dege's eyes widened with surprise.
"Now him I've heard of," Dege stated quietly, almost fearfully.
"Subiani knew that Kalab's ego would not permit him to refuse such a challenge," Soga continued, "Kalab immediately left in search of Kronos, and we never heard from him again….we all thought he'd been killed….never expected him to show up again."
"It is quite miraculous that he survived," Dege nodded, "….You don't think that maybe he…carried out his mission successfully?"
Soga stared at Dege with narrowed eyes.
"An entire army of our best assassins couldn't even dream of bringing down Kronos," Soga stated slowly, "Approaching him for any reason is like a plea to be mutilated beyond your wildest nightmares. The guy's a living death-sentence….But then again…..Kalab wouldn't just give up and return home without his bounty….No….Something's going on, here….."
Dege cleared his throat.
"So…what do you propose we do, my lord?" Dege asked.
Soga dragged his paw along the ground in thought.
"….We have to inform the homeland," Soga told his informant, "I want you to go to the Bloody Shadows and let everyone know that Kalab is still alive, and may return. Make sure that it's made public knowledge. Understood?"
Dege nodded and gave a salute, before turning around to fly off. He then thought for a moment and turned back to face his master.
"..My…My lord, if I may offer a bit of advice," Dege said quietly, but still showing urgency in his tone.
Soga stared at his servant for a moment, a bit surprised.
"You may," Soga eventually nodded.
Dege started twiddling his talons nervously, before speaking again.
"It….seems to me that Subiani did come to realize his mistake," Dege breathed, "I'm sorry you had to lose your mother for that to happen, but….He attempted to set things right in the end, and history has not repeated itself. In the sixteen years I've been alive, Subiani has been a very fair and compassionate ruler….And from what you've told me before, it was not all that long ago that he was like you are now…"
Soga shot his informant a glare, causing the yellow-winged bat to freeze in place.
"Don't you ever compare me to that bastard again," Soga said coldly, waving his paw over the flame, "I'm nothing like him."
Dege gulped and nodded slowly.
"I…I'm sorry, my lord," Dege stated nervously, "It…won't happen again."
With that, Dege turned around and flew away as fast as his wings could carry him. Soga watched the bat disappear into the night, before staring down at the fire he'd created.
"Kalab…." Soga snarled quietly, smiling as he stared into the flames, "I'm actually glad you're still alive….I was just a cub when you murdered my mother. I had no chance of exacting revenge….But I'm not a cub, anymore…It doesn't matter what was in your nature, I won't let you get away with it….My mother will be avenged. Both you and Subiani will suffer greatly for the innocents you've slaughtered…."
Soga placed a paw to his chin and closed his eyes, his mind racing with plans of vengeance. He knew that neither Subiani nor Kalab would be an easy kill. In fact, he knew it would be impossible to bring them down on his own. But none of that mattered to Soga. He was intent on ending their lives as slowly and painfully as possible. He just needed to figure out exactly how to go about it.
"Let's see…." Soga breathed thoughtfully, "I'll utilize the Vivuli to my advantage…perhaps they can grant me an opening to strike…..No….I doubt even they could hold out long against Kalab, or Subiani, for that matter….They're not ready, yet…And neither am I, for that matter….My immunity's high, but not perfect….I can wait for my training to be complete before going after Subiani, but I won't have much of a chance against Kalab if I run into him….And if he hears about how I torched Mamlaka, he'll definitely seek me out…the Mamlaka job was originally meant for him, after all…and he'll seek a way to prove that it should have remained that way…No, I can't risk running into him…Not alone….But who'd be able to help me take him down if he did show up? The Vivuli's busy cutting down Subiani's forces, and I don't know anyone else who could…"
A smirk slowly crept upon Soga's face.
"Actually," Soga snickered to himself, waving his paw over the flame, "I could be the one who seeks out Kalab. The solution's simple. He may be the greatest assassin the Bloody Shadows ever produced, but even he wouldn't be able to survive being set ablaze….But then again….that would be too merciful of me….I want him to face agony far beyond being burned alive…."
Soga placed his paw to his chin once more and stared up at the sky in contemplation. His eyes widened as they met with two bright blue stars that seemed to stare right back at him. Soga's smirk returned as he nodded slowly, having reached his conclusion.
"Perhaps I'll seek out Edaha, after all."